A lifer expat mummy in Kuwait blogging on things to do in Kuwait for kids and adults, places to visit, fun and cultural events, general info, shopping bargains and interesting stuff. Email: LWDLIK@gmail.com

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The Cairo University student was surrounded on Monday by a group of male students who sexually harassed her as she walked across a busy campus. The woman was later escorted from the university by campus security, and the incident was filmed by bystanders -- many of whom appear unconcerned, or eager to join in -- and uploaded to social media.

One male student can be heard saying: "Guys, I'm going to upload it on Facebook -- whoever wants to watch this video, come to my page."

The university's president, Dr Gaber Nasser, added to public outcry when he told a television talkshow the incident had resulted in part from the woman wearing colourful clothes, instead of a more conservative cloak, or "abaya"'. He also said that she may face punishment for the incident along with her harassers, and possibly expulsion.LWDLIK - Outrageous, disgusting behaviour! The president should be fired and all those involved should be held accountable. I am so thankful I come from a country that outlaws sexual harassment. I faced it a couple of times in Kuwait. Once from an Iraqi supervisor who thought it was okay to fondle himself through his trousers in front of me, in the hope I might be driven wild with desire. When I told him he was disgusting and needed Pif-Paf for that itch, he backed off. Second time was in a hotel when a colleague banged on my door at 3AM and told me to open it. I told him through the door that I had called security need he'd better *&$% off before I called the police as well. Third time a man took a grab at my butt in the Souq to which I turned around and yelled all sorts of stuff at him and he ran off. Fourth time I was unloading the boot of my car and several youths in dishdashas asked me something in Arabic. I thought they were asking for change of KD 10 but then one did a crude thrusting motion and waved a KD 10 note around. I grabbed the nearest one by the dishdasha swung him around, walloped him and tried to kick him. Meanwhile, he was desperately trying to get away and all his buttons of his dishdasha popped off. He, and the others, ran off. When I told my husband he was annoyed at me as he thought I could have endangered myself. 'What if they'd had a knife,' he said. Well I know the answer to that because it happened to me in England and I reacted exactly the same way. Luckily, I'm here to tell the tale. It is what I shall teach my daughter too.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Malaysian PM announced in a press meeting today that MH 370 crashed into the Indian Ocean, off the west of Perth, Australia. Based on credible satellite analysis from British company, Inmarsat.LWDLIK - May they rest in peace.

The H&M Conscious & Conscious Exclusive collections will launch in stores April 10th 2014. The collections will be sold in their Grand Avenue store, Avenues Phase I store & Marina Mall store in Kuwait.

Engage with eL Seed in creating a Calligraffiti landmark in Kuwait.LIMITED SEATS!

Date: April 1 and 2, 2014Location: Bayt Lothan

Creating one of his signature large-scale murals, eL Seed offers a blank canvas for the members to take part in his exciting artistic process. Investing the youth in artistic ventures not only encourages talent and curiosity, but breeds ambidextrous minds and well-rounded individuals. Combining the long-practiced and highly-treasured art of calligraphy and graffiti, eL Seed will guide the process of creation and instruct the participants in technique and composition. Participants will learn how to fill, spray, blend, and paint on a larger-than-life scale. Upon completion, the mural will be an imposing impossible-to-miss art piece; honoring the pride of those who participated and those who see their people’s culture reflected in the strokes of paint.

Fourteen suspects have been arrested in connection with an attack on a police patrol during a wedding party in western Kuwait City, the Interior Ministry said Friday.

In a statement, the ministry said that 11 stateless people, two Arabs and one Kuwaiti national were arrested for involvement in the Thursday attack.

Four vehicles used in the attack, along with a cache of weapons, were also seized by police, according to the ministry statement.The policemen had gone to the wedding party to demand that guests refrain from firing guns into the air during celebrations. Shooting live rounds into the air is a common practice at wedding parties across the Arab world.

A camera-mounted drone flew over Remal International Festival to give you a special look at at the world's largest sand sculpture festival. The festival runs until April. It's located off the 6th Ring Road at Mishref Fairgrounds.

Friday, March 21, 2014

Fundraising efforts have been under way for several
weeks, but the main show kicks off on Friday night

Sport Relief is hoping to beat the
£50.4m it raised on its TV show two years ago in a star-studded night of
performances and sketches on Friday.

Gary Lineker and Davina McCall are among the hosts on a show which aims to
raise money for poor and disadvantaged people in the UK and around the
world.Sketches will include David Beckham joining Only Fools and Horses.DJ Jo Whiley completed a 26-hour stint on a treadmill on Thursday, earning a
£260,000 donation from Coldplay.A tweet from
the band read: "Massive respect to the incredible, indegafatible @jowhiley
#10K per hour makes #260K sponsorship from us."Speaking afterwards, the Radio 2 DJ said: "I am blown away by Coldplay's
generosity and it has made this challenge all the more sweeter."At the climax of the gruelling 26 hours, Whiley stumbled following a final
10-second countdown. "I can't believe I did 26 hours and then fell at the last
minute," she added.

Del Boy and Rodney will be back on TV screens joined by David
Beckham

Highlights of this year's Sport Relief are set to include the following:

Singer Cheryl Cole will introduce a special film raising awareness about
malaria.

Del Boy and Rodney will be back on TV screens after 10 years with a one-off
Only Fools and Horses sketch, featuring one of the show's biggest fans - David
Beckham.

David Walliams will oust John Humphrys as Mastermind host, with contestants
including England and Arsenal player Jack Wilshere.

Four Paralympians will swap their sports kit for sequins for a Sport Relief
Does Strictly special.

The premiere of the official England 2014 World Cup song, a cover of Take
That's Greatest Day, will take place.

Wimbledon champion Andy Murray will take part in a Mock The Week
special.

Little Mix will perform the Sport Relief single, Word Up, with further
musical performances from Kylie Minogue and Boyzone.

Paralympiams David Clarke, Hannah Cockroft, Martine
Wright and Nathan Stephens take part in Strictly Come Dancing.

Cheryl Cole and David Walliams are among the
celebrities lending their talents to the fundraiser

After battling malaria four years ago, singer Cheryl Cole will help to raise
awareness of the devastating epidemic, which claims thousands of lives across
Africa. She contracted the disease on holiday four years ago, not long after climbing
Mount Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief. Having received the treatment she needed to make a full recovery, the singer
will introduce a special film, shot in a hospital in eastern Uganda."When I climbed Kilimanjaro for Comic Relief five years ago it was honestly
one of the hardest things I've ever done," the singer said."The motivation lay in knowing it could help in eradicating malaria and
ultimately saving lives by providing mosquito nets."I didn't for one minute think that only a year later I would get malaria
myself and become so ill that at one point I was given 24 hours to live. "I was lucky, I had the best care I could get. Some people are not so lucky.
A £5 mosquito net could keep a child safe and really does help."

Pop stars Little Mix have visited Liberia to see the
work carried out by Sport Relief projects

Fundraising efforts have been underway for several weeks. Davina McCall raised more than
£750,000 by running, cycling and swimming from Edinburgh to London in just
seven days.DJs from BBC Radio have also completed gruelling endurance tests inside a
perspex box in front of BBC Broadcasting House, in London.

Jo Whiley received a sponsorship boost from the band
Coldplay after completing her challenge

On Monday, Radio 1 host Nick Grimshaw completed a 12-hour bike ride after he,
along with other celebrities, cycled more than 1,000 miles and raised more than
£115,000.Elsewhere, former England captain Alan Shearer beat ex-footballer Robbie
Savage in an exhausting
race to sit on all 90,000 seats in Wembley Stadium.The fundraising telethon starts on BBC One at 19:00 GMT.LWDLIK - It's going to be a great night hope we, in Kuwait, can make a fine contribution.

March 24th at 17.00. Advance reservations required at joumana@aware.com.

Fee: KD 2 per person

The Sadu House is a beautiful, serene, traditional Kuwaiti styled house where you can discover the Bedouin art of weaving, its styles and history. Established in 1979 and now renovated it exhibits a wonderful collection of textiles. Souvenirs are also available for purchase in it’s on site shop. Perfect and unique gifts for friends and family back home.

This exhibition will offer visitors to the AWARE Center the opportunity to sample the wide variety of Kuwaiti’s traditional foods. Look forward to trying margoog, tashriba, or balaleet. Whilst trying something squishy, you have to have a go at sago worms, locally called butod, a feat which will win you many local friends. Visitors can also try on the traditional clothes on & have their pictures taken. Men can try the dishdasha & women can try the darra’a.

This event is scheduled on March 27, 2014 from 7pm to 9pm and is free of charge; however, prior registration is requested at 2533-5280 or email info@aware.com.kw

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Sky Lounge Terrace where you can relax this Mother's Day with unlimited refreshing drinks, breakfast, snacks and afternoon tea.Free entry for Mums & Moms this Mother's Day at Sky Lounge when accompanied by a paying guest, child or husband. (KD10 each) Friday 21st March 2014 from 6:30 am - 5 pm

Thank you Shirley. I read this in the comments and it absolutely struck a chord with me;The soul spark of God absolutely lives within all of life - be it plant, insect, animal or human. As each level evolves consciousness evolves allowing soul to expand in awareness of itself while journeying back to its true form and home within.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

(CNN) -- A minor furor has broken out on social media after reports a Middle East Airlines (MEA) flight was refused entry to Baghdad because an Iraqi minister's son had been left behind in Lebanon.

Various media outlets have reported that Mahdi al-Amiri, son of Iraqi Transport Minister Hadi al-Amiri, forced the plane to turn back after he missed the flight.

Rima Mikaoui, director of public relations for Middle East Airlines-Air Liban, told CNN: "It is true that MEA airplane that was heading to Baghdad yesterday on March 6, 2014 was forced to return to Beirut.

"Matter is still under investigation, and we are awaiting the result of the investigation."

The National News Agency (NNA) in Lebanon, run by the Ministry of Information, reported that "20 minutes after taking off from Beirut International Airport, the director of MEA bureau in Baghdad informed the airliner that the Iraqi authorities would not allow the aircraft to land in Baghdad airport if it wasn't carrying the minister's son on board."

Other reports claim that airline staff searched for the missing passenger and made the usual announcements for boarding, and then departed after a six-minute delay without him.

Investigations go on

Iraq's Transport Ministry has denied the claims, saying the plane was turned back due to "cleaning operations" at the airport.

The Kuwait Scorpions men's will be hosted by the US Army rugby team for a friendly game of league rugby this Friday the 21st. This would be a fun time as most of the scorpions teams look forward to see our friends from the army. Good luck Scorpions!

Special performance by World Freestyle Champion Andrew Henderson in the Avenues on 19th March at 7:30 pm. In Avenues phase 2 opposite the escalators to the food court, same line as Dean & Deluca in front of Franklin & Marshall store.Andrew is the reigning World Freestyle Football Champion and the UK`s freestyle champion for four years running. He grew up in Cornwall with an incredible passion for football which has evolved and developed into his involvement in one of the most exciting and energetic sub-cultures of football which attracts millions of viewers all over the world.

LWDLIK - Love that this lady is trying hard to learn the lingo, the culture and share with us in English. Thank you x Want to read more here's her blog [link].An excerpt;Trying to write Arabic words
using the Western alphabet is a nothing shortof a bugbear. Take today's word for instance, in
Arabic it's spelt لومي and neverchanges. But when translated into English, it becomes:
luumii, loomi, loomy,lumii, lumi and so
on.waayid
yinarfiz.Bugbears aside, let's move onto
sweeter things, or sweet, bitter and smoky things.Black limes. The magic bhaar of the desert.

Ripe green limes are picked from the shajarah,
boiled in salt water then left onbiSaaT to dry
for hours in the sun. Once crisp and black, a whole luumii mightinfuse its sweet tang
into a slow-cooked stew, or be ground to a spice and blendedwith
water to make a light fragrant tea, served
piping hot or iced.Perhaps the greatest thing
about luumii is that outside the Persian Gulf region,it is still a secret
and its potential to
add cryptic and beautiful flavours to shrimp,lamb and Basmati rice remains unknown.
It's true that luumii is hard to findin Europe - but not impossible. Avoid buying the powder
though - the flavour peaksthe moment it's smashed. So buy the fruit whole and
be the one to do the smashing.

Monday, March 17, 2014

Marks & Spencer has opened its largest international store at The View (next to Missoni Hotel), Salmiya, Kuwait.

The new 72,000 sq ft flagship store operated by Marks & Spencer’s long term franchise partner Al-Futtaim group is in line with the retailer’s international strategy to build a strong presence in the Middle East, said a statement.

The store was opened by Omar Al Futtaim, chairman of Al-Futtaim Group, and Marc Bolland, Marks & Spencer chief executive.

The new store brings the largest offering of clothing, food, beauty and home products in the region, including a renowned in-store Café that serves up delicious breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea meals. It ensures a bigger and better shopping environment and unparalleled customer service, the statement said.

Bolland said: “We’re delighted to officially open our largest international store in Kuwait today. The Middle East is a priority market for Marks & Spencer and through our successful partnership with Al-Futtaim we are continuing to build our presence here. As one of the world’s leading shopping mall owners and retail operators, Al-Futtaim offers us invaluable retail expertise and access to prime shopping locations like The View. This together with Marks & Spencer’s exceptional quality fashions and food offers something truly special for our customers in Kuwait.”

“We are proud to be part of a Kuwaiti society that is fashion forward and enjoys our truly international shopping experience and exceptional quality, innovative product offer. Through the introduction of Marks & Spencer’s largest store outside of the UK and Ireland, customers in Kuwait can now shop our most extensive fashion collections while also sampling the best of authentic English cuisine our M&S Café has to offer,” said John Cooper, managing director of Marks & Spencer Al-Futtaim group Mena. – TradeArabia News Service

LWDLIK - Was dying to pop by and see the new store so went along on Sunday. Initial reaction was mixed. The big, glass, bubble building reminded me a public swimming pool centre back in UK. Couldn't get into the tiny front parking, as it was full, so parked behind. Part of the building is still under construction so had to walk all the way around to get to the entrance, presumably at a later date, there will be access from the aft parking lot too. Did notice there is to be underground parking which, although isn't open yet, will be very convenient.

Wow! It's huge, airy and beautifully laid out on four floors. Still only a small selection of kids clothing and not many kids shoes (I was looking for school shoes and there were none). But a huge range of lovely ladies clothing, a fabulous collection of lingerie, a whole floor of menswear, teeny selection of homeware, an aromatic bakery enticing all; sadly only a few breads and some baked goods. And there's a coffee shop. Didn't fancy anything on the quite extensive menu, very unlike me, I think I may have been too eager to get shopping. My double expresso was fairly priced but too bitter for my liking and didn't come with a biscuit on the side - not that I would have known it was to have one but the barista and the supervisor discussed it in front of me, offered no apology for the fact that they had run out. So then I felt miffed because I hadn't got the biscuit that I didn't know I was supposed to get. Was it an almond cookie or a mini brownie I should have had. I got a little obsessed with what could have, should have been. Tried to down the coffee but it really wasn't that good. Liked that almost the whole store can be seen from the coffee shop which means when I lose my daughter (happens frighteningly often) or my husband (who I think tries to lose me) then I can go sit up there and wait for them to find me. Still not happy that they can't black out the UK sterling prices as I hate seeing what I could have paid for items.
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Loved the Lyn Harris perfumes, bought some lovely shoes, t-shirts, stocked up on extortionately marked up tights and had to have the high heel gel insoles as my feet were killing me. Put them immediately into my shoes and wore them home - had instant relief and look forward to giving them a pounding on Friday. May have to go back and buy them all.